Dewas: Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda on Sunday refuted claims that the recent deaths in the state’s Dewas district were caused by spurious liquor, saying that post-mortem reports found “no trace of spurious liquor”.
He said of the total 10 deaths, eight were natural and post-mortem reports of the remaining two deaths confirm “no trace of spurious liquor” was found.
The clarification comes amid growing concern over around 10 suspicious deaths reported in Chandana and Bijana villages of Dewas district over the past month.
Former Union Minister and former State Congress President Arun Yadav has demanded a compensation of one crore rupees to the kin of each of the deceased.
Arun Yadav said, “Until this (Sunday) morning, reports of the deaths were being dismissed as false. When we reached the Collectorate after meeting the affected families, the administration claimed these were ‘natural deaths’. The very fact that an investigative team has now been constituted proves that the Dewas administration was attempting to cover up the truth.”
Let the administration listen carefully, he added, merely setting up an investigative team will not suffice.
“The guilty officials must be suspended immediately, strict action must be taken against the criminals involved in the illicit liquor trade, and a compensation of one crore rupees must be provided to the family of each deceased person,” the Congress leader demanded.
Villagers and families of the deceased have alleged that the deaths may be linked to the consumption of spurious liquor, citing symptoms such as blurred vision, complete loss of sight, restlessness, and vomiting after drinking.
State Congress President Jitu Patwari and former Minister Arun Yadav visited the affected villages on Saturday, met the families, and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.
However, the administration has said that the exact cause of the deaths will be confirmed only after detailed post-mortem and viscera analysis reports are received.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Abhishek Sharma dismissed reports claiming 15–20 deaths due to spurious liquor in Chandana village as “misleading and baseless”, saying that investigations have not confirmed any such link so far.
Further action will be taken in accordance with the law based on the forensic science laboratory (FSL) findings.
Confirmation on whether the consumed liquor was poisonous will only be possible once the technical report is released, another official said.
While villagers continue to demand a detailed probe, officials have urged people not to spread unverified information.
The administration has assured that the matter is being investigated and appropriate steps will be taken based on scientific evidence.
(IANS)
